


Crash Into You

by annaxmims



Series: Tumblr Prompts [82]
Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Buck Gives Him One, Canon-Typical Violence, Eddie Diaz Needs a Hug (9-1-1 TV), Eddie Has Flashbacks, Getting Together, Love Confessions, M/M, War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-13
Updated: 2020-07-13
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:42:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25247077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annaxmims/pseuds/annaxmims
Summary: Tumblr Prompt:The 118 get set to a heliocopter crash site. Buck notices Eddie is tense, Eddie brushes it off. Buck keeps an eye on him. They get to the scene & it's just too much for Eddie - the sights, smell - he's back in Afghanistan & reliving the helio crash he was in. Confused, he tries to save Buck from enemy fire. Maybe he says stuff like, I can't loose you, I love you. We gotta stay alive, for Chris. & Buck is just trying to get Eddie out of his panic & comfort him. Later feelings are confessed, etc.
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Series: Tumblr Prompts [82]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1626286
Comments: 5
Kudos: 236





	Crash Into You

Eddie knew it was going to be a bad day the minute the call came in. A helicopter crash of all things. Bobby had looked at him regretfully, silently giving him the option to stay behind, no questions asked, but he couldn’t let his team go through that alone.

Buck noticed the tension in his best friend’s shoulders, knocking their knees together as a gesture of comfort. Eddie gave him a half hearted smile and Buck squeezed his hand.

Eddie’s heart almost stopped when he saw the scene. The copter was barely recognizable, rotors bent at awkward angles the rest of the vehicle in various stages of burning.

“Jesus christ,” Buck whispered.

“Okay guys,” Bobby was solemn. “This is going to be a rough one. All of you have the right to step away when you need to. Don’t overwork yourselves. Save as many as you can. Do what we’re here to do.”

The whole team nodded, silently joining hands and bowing their heads in silent prayer. None of them were particularly religious, but situations like this led to them calling on whatever higher power was out there. They lifted their heads, glancing at each other for confirmation that they were ready to face whatever was out there.

Ladder 43 was already there. Their paramedics had started triage and Hen and Chim joined the fray and began treating people. Some civilians were standing by and Bobby went ahead with crowd control.

Buck and Eddie met Captain Martin who sent them off to search the perimeter while his team finished putting out the blaze.

Eddie took a few deep breaths to center himself before diving in head first, Buck right behind him. They were lucky, there was no one to be found on the outskirts, but in the wreckage was a different story. The smell of burning metal and fuel sent Eddie back to one of the worst times of his life. He knew he should take Cap’s advice and take a break, maybe go help Chim and Hen on medical, but he felt bad leaving Buck alone. He had to protect him. 

“Diaz, Buckley. How’s it looking in there?” Cap’s voice came over the coms.

“It’s rough Bobby,” Buck responded. 

“You guys need a minute?”

“No I’m good.”

“Eddie?”

“I’m fine Cap,” Eddie’s voice was hoarse. 

“Alright. Good work boys.”

“Clear here,” the voice of a 43 guy called out.

“Clear here,” Buck responded.

“Let’s move on.”

“Eds are you sure you’re okay?”

Buck’s voice sounded like it was coming from underwater. A sudden explosion had Eddie tackling him to the ground.

“Woah Eddie what?”

“We gotta get out of here.”

“Eddie what’s happening?”   


“Come on. Stay low, let’s go.”

Eddie dragged Buck by the collar of his turnout jacket so that they were crawling on the ground. Suddenly it dawned on him. Eddie was in combat mode. He thought this was a war zone, not a rescue scene.

“Eddie where are you right now?” Buck asked.

“Enemy territory,” he responded.

“No you’re not. This is a rescue operation. Eddie we’re in Los Angeles. We’re on a helicopter crash site.”

“We need to move.”

“Yeah, yeah we do. Come on.”

Buck pulled him up and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

“What’s going on?” Nick from 43 asked.

“He’s a vet,” Buck responded quietly. “He thinks this is a war zone.”

“Shit why didn’t you say something earlier. Get him out of here. We can handle it.”

“Thanks man.”

Buck led Eddie away from the wreckage and back to the truck. He stripped him of his heavy turnout coat so that he was only in his shirt and pants.

“Buck what’s going on?” Bobby ducked into the rig.

“He’s flashing back Bobby. He thinks he’s in Afghanistan again.”

“Keep him here. I’ll drive you two back to the station and send someone after Hen and Chim.”   


“Thanks Cap.”

“Hang in there Eddie,” his words fell on deaf ears.

As soon as the rig began to move, Eddie snapped out of it.

“What’s happening?”   


“We’re going back to the station Eddie. It’s okay.”

“I have to keep you safe,” Eddie mumbled almost to himself.

“I am safe Eddie. I’m right here with you.”

“Christopher.”

“He’s okay too. He’s safe at home. You can see him soon.”

Buck handed him a bottle of water, forcing him to drink. When they arrived at the station he helped Eddie out of the rig. It took both him and Bobby to get him out of his boots and turnout pants.

“Take him home and keep an eye on him.”

“Yes sir.”

Eddie seemed to have completely zoned out as Buck led him to his Jeep and used all of his strength to push him into the passenger seat and buckle his seatbelt.

Carla and Chris were already home when he pulled into Eddie’s driveway. Buck left him in the car for a few minutes as he let himself in.

“Buck!” Christopher cheered excitedly.

“Hey superman,” Buck lifted him into his arms.

“Where’s Daddy?”

“He’s with me. He’s just in the car. I need to talk to you for a minute.”

He sat Chris on the couch and knelt in front of him.

“Is he okay?”

“Yeah buddy he’s fine. But your Dad had a bad day. We saw a helicopter crash and that was really scary for him. So I’m gonna stay with you guys tonight, and we have to remember to be careful around your Dad okay?”

“Okay. Can I still give him a hug?”

“Of course buddy. I bet that will make him feel better.”

Chris nodded solemnly and Buck was once again impressed with his nine year old maturity.

“I’m gonna go get your dad okay?”

“Okay.”

Eddie was slightly more coherent when Buck went to retrieve him from the car.

“We’re home?”

“Yeah Bobby sent us home early. Are you okay now?”

“Kinda.”

“We’ll talk about it later.”

Talking about feelings wasn’t Eddie’s strong suit, but Buck was going to get it out of him one way or another.

“Hey Dad,” Christopher’s voice was quieter than normal.

“Hey mijo,” Eddie lifted him up for a hug.

Christopher wound his arms around his neck, holding on tighter than normal. Eddie held him for a long time, face buried in his soft curls.

“I love you Daddy,” he whispered.

“I love you too.”

Buck sent Eddie upstairs to shower after he finally released Chris from his hold. Carla took her leave soon after, making Buck promise to call her if they needed anything.

“Buck do you think a movie would make Dad feel better?”

“I bet it would. How about you pick on out and I’ll order us pizza.”

“We have ice cream too! I bet ice cream would make him happy.”

“I think ice cream will make you happy,” Buck laughed.

“That too.”

Buck stepped into the kitchen to order their usual while Christopher searched for a movie. 

“How about Ice Age? That’s a happy movie right?”

“Sounds good kiddo.”

Eddie emerged from the shower while the pizza was being delivered. He seemed to be feeling a little more like himself, diving onto the couch with Christopher and smothering him with kisses and tickles.

“Dad- dad stop!’ he gasped through giggles.

“Okay truce you two,” Buck said with a chuckle. “Food is here.”

In true Diaz fashion, the promise of food distracted them. Buck pressed play on the movie Christopher had chosen and they slowly ate themselves into food comas. Christopher was asleep by the end of the movie and Eddie carried him up to his room while Buck took a shower.

Eddie was waiting on the bed, scrolling on his phone.

“I guess you wanna talk huh?”

“Yeah I do,” Buck perched on the edge of the bed. “What happened today Eddie?”

Eddie sighed and sat forward, “In Afghanistan, before I was discharged, our helicopter was shot out of the sky. I rescued our team, living and dead. I got shot three times. I didn’t think I was going to make it home.”

Eddie paused but Buck didn’t speak, letting him gather his thoughts.

“Today, I saw it all in my head. The only thing I could think about was me and you making it out. So we could come home to Christopher. He can’t lose anyone else.”

“We were fine Eddie,” Buck said gently. 

“I know that. At least I do now. But in the moment, I was terrified of losing you. I love you Buck.”

Eddie reached over to take his hand and Buck squeezed it firmly.

“I love you too Eddie,” he whispered. “And you’re never gonna lose me. I’m always gonna be here for you and Christopher.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.”

Eddie surged forward and kissed him. Buck grappled at his shoulders, holding tightly to his t-shirt.

Finally he had to break the kiss for air and Eddie pressed his forehead to Buck’s.

“I love you so much,” he whispered.

“I love you more.”


End file.
